Declan Ganley: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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{{Infobox_Politician
{{POV|date=April 2009}}
| name = Declan James Ganley
'''Declan James Ganley''' (born [[23 July]] [[1968]], [[Watford]], [[Hertfordshire]], [[United Kingdom]]) is a millionaire businessman and political activist that has founded and funded the [[Libertas (political movement)|Libertas movement]].<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/declan-ganley-irelands-mysterious-mr-no-843559.html Declan Ganley: Ireland's Mysterious Mr. No], ''[[The Independent]]'', 10 June 2008</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|23|7|mf=y}}
| birth_place =[[Watford, Hertfordshire]], [[United Kingdom]]
| residence = [[Abbeyknockmoy, Galway]], [[Ireland]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| office = Chairman of Libertas
| salary =
| term_start =
| term_end =
| predecessor =
| successor = [[Incumbent]]
| party = Libertas
| religion =
| candidate = European Parliament 2009
| constituency = Ireland North West
| majority =
| spouse =
| children =
| website = [http://libertas.eu/ireland/candidates/declanganley libertas.eu/ganley]}}
[[Declan James Ganley]] (born [[23 July]] [[1968]], [[Watford]], [[Hertfordshire]], [[United Kingdom]]) is an [[Ireland|Irish]] entrepreneur, businessman and political activist. He is founder and current chairman for the pan-European political party [[Libertas_Party|Libertas]] and candidate to the [[European Parliament Elections 2009]] in the constituency of Ireland North West. Declan Ganley has started companies in forestry, telecommunications and the internet and is currently serving as chairman of the board of Rivada Networks. During the [[Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty]] Declan Ganley and [[Libertas_Party|Libertas]] campaigned for a No-vote. <ref>About Declan Ganley, Libertas.eu: [http://libertas.eu/en/about-us/declanganley]</ref>
British-born of Irish parents, he returned with his parents to live in [[Glenamaddy]], [[County Galway]], [[Republic of Ireland]], at the age of 13, and today lives in [[Abbeyknockmoy]], County Galway with his American wife Delia and their four young children.<ref>[http://www.tribune.ie/article/2008/jun/15/what-will-international-man-of-mystery-declan-ganl/ What will international man of mystery Declan Ganley do next? SundayTribune. June 15, 2008.] Retrieved 15 March 2009.</ref>
==Early life==
After leaving school, he initially worked on building sites in London but soon found a job as a tea boy at an insurance company. His business life started soon afterwards when he moved to the Soviet Union. He traded in Soviet aluminium which he shipped to [[Rotterdam]] via [[Latvia]].<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article4028006.ece Profile: Declan Ganley. TimesOnline, May 25, 2008.] Retrieved 14 March 2009.</ref>
After leaving school, he initially worked on building sites in London but soon found a job as a tea boy at an insurance company. His business life started soon afterwards when he moved to the Soviet Union. He says that he traded in Soviet aluminium which he shipped to [[Rotterdam]] via [[Latvia]].<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article4028006.ece Profile: Declan Ganley. TimesOnline, May 25, 2008.] Retrieved 14 March 2009.</ref> He did not speak Russian and no person involved in the trade has been found during investigations by Irish broadcaster RTE. <ref> http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1127/primetime_av.html?2455463,null,230?2455577,null,230 RTE Primtime</ref>
==Nationality controversy==
The issue of Ganley's nationality was raised during "bitter exchanges" on RTÉ Radio One's ''News at One'' between Ganley and Irish Minister for European Affairs, [[Dick Roche]], on 18 September 2008.<ref name="it-080922">[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0922/1221998222102.html Nationality of Libertas founder was listed as British in UK records], ''The Irish Times'', 21 Sept
2008</ref> Roche said that Ganley "likes to wrap himself in the [[Flag of Ireland|tricolour]] whenever he faces any form of query or interrogation on issues like this."<ref name="it-080922" /> Roche said that Ganley stated that his nationality was British on company registration forms until 2006. Ganley told the ''[[Irish Times]]'' that the recording of his nationality as British in UK tax documents was a "data input error", although it subsequently transpired that the documents in question had been prepared by hand and had listed Ganley as British for multiple years. Ganley has refused to apologise for calling Roche a liar even though Roche's claim was proven. Instead, Ganley has said "I do not have a British passport. I am an Irishman, and I resent anybody trying to tell me that I am not."<ref name="it-080922"/>
==Business life==
Ganley is currently chairman and former chairman and[[chief executive officer|CEO]] and current [[Chairman]] of [[Rivada Networks]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rhttp://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0922/1221998222102.htmlivada.com/about/keypersonnel/declanjganley.htm|title=Declan J. Ganley|publisher=www.rivada.com|accessdate=2008-05-06}}</ref> a [[United States|US]] defence contractor specializing in military telecommunications systems. In the past, he has been involved in business ventures selling Russian aluminium and in the Latvian forestry sector.<ref name="GavinDaly">{{cite news
|url=http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2006/03/19/story12731.asp
|title=US magazine claims Ganley set to become billionaire
Line 23 ⟶ 38:
|author=Daly, Gavin
|date=2006-03-19
}}</ref> In the early 1990s Mr Ganley founded Kipelova Forestry Enterprises which became one of the largest forestry companies in the [[Russian Federation]].<ref name="cnbc">[http://www.cnbceb.com/PrintMe.aspx?ID=1111] CNBC Profile of Declan Ganley retrieved 2 November 2008</ref><ref name="albca">[http://www.albca.com/aclis/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=311 Declan Ganley - The King of 45 000 Albanian ShareHolders], Albanian Canadian League Information Service</ref> He sold the company in 1997 for an undisclosed sum. <ref name="cnbc" /> In 1996, his company [[Ganley International]] founded the [[Anglo-Adriatic Investment Fund]], an Albanian financial fund formed to collect and invest privatisation vouchers.<ref name="albca" /> Back in Ireland, Ganley had owned the high-profile jewellery website, Adornis.com, which collapsed after the downturn in the technology sector. A 2006 interview in CNBC’s ''European Business magazine'' suggested Ganley had a personal worth of €300 million.<ref name="GavinDaly"/>
==Liam Lawlor and the Mahon Tribunal==
Declan Ganley gave evidence before the [[Mahon Tribunal]] officially called the "Tribunal of Inquiry Into Certain Planning Matters and Payments" on 27 September 2007. On the last day of the hearings, 29 October 2008, evidence of the late [[Liam Lawlor]], who died in a car crash in Moscow, was read into the record by [[Senior Counsel]] for the tribunal Pat Quinn. Lawlor had stated that "he received £30,000 in political contributions from Declan Ganley’s business, Ganley International, in 1996."<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1030/1225321557471.html] ''The Irish Times'' 30 October 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/liam-lawlor-512244.html Liam Lawlor Obituary] by David McKittrick ''The Independent'', 24 October 2005 </ref>. According to ''The Irish Times'' report of the proceedings "Mr Quinn also said an invoice dated February 1997 from Mr Ganley’s business, with an address at 128 Mount Street, London, W1K 3NU, was used by Mr Lawlor when providing documentation to cover for a £25,000 payment from the disgraced lobbyist and former Fianna Fáil election agent, [[Frank Dunlop]]."<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/1029/breaking42.htm] ''Irish Times'' Breaking News, 29 October 2008, Retrieved 2 November 2008</ref> In his own evidence before the tribunal on 27 September 2008, Ganley said that he had employed Lawlor as a consultant in the 1990s to lobby the Albanian government on behalf of Ganley International.<ref name="flood-tribunal1">{{cite web|url=http://www.flood-tribunal.ie/images/SITECONTENT_744.pdf |title=MT280907.ecl |date= |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-10-27}} Evidence of Frank Dunlop and Declan Ganley at Flood Tribunal, 28 September 2007</ref> Ganley International subsidiary Anglo-Adraitic Investment Fund was involved in the turbulent Albanian financial market in the 1990s.<ref name="albca" /><ref>[http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2000/03/jarvis.htm The Rise and Fall of Albania's Pyramid Schemes] by Christopher Jarvis, ''Finance and Development'', March 2000, Volume 37, Number 1, retrieved 2 November 2008</ref> He also stated that the Ganley International invoice which Lawlor presented to Dunlop was a forgery and not a Ganley International invoice.<ref name="flood-tribunal1"/> In his evidence before the tribunal, Dunlop confirmed that he had received this invoice from Lawlor.<ref name="flood-tribunal1">{{cite web|url=http://www.flood-tribunal.ie/images/SITECONTENT_744.pdf |title=MT280907.ecl |date= |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-10-27}} Evidence of Frank Dunlop at Flood Tribunal, 28 September 2007</ref>
== US Foreign Policy Research Institute==
Ganley has written at least one major article for an [[United States|American]] [[think tank]].<ref name="FPRI">
{{cite web
|url= http://www.fpri.org/ww/0405.200312.ganley.euconstitution.html
|title= Europe’s Constitutional Treaty: A Threat to Democracy and How to Avoid It
|accessdate= 2008-05-30
|author= Declan J. Ganley
|last= Ganley
|first= Declan
| year= 2003
|month= December
|publisher= Foreign Policy Research Institute
}}
</ref> Ganley's first mention of 'Libertas' was in a paper, ''Constitutional Treaty; A Threat to Democracy and How to Avoid it'', that he wrote for the [[Foreign Policy Research Institute]] (FPRI), based in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]].<ref name="FPRI"/> The FPRI was founded by [[Robert Strausz-Hupé]], a former US Ambassador and foreign policy adviser to [[Barry Goldwater]] and [[Richard Nixon]].<ref>''New York Times'', 26 February 2002</ref>
==Libertas==
{{main|Libertas Party}}
Ganley is the founder<ref name="Letters from Austria">{{cite news |url=http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2008/05/25/story33134.asp |title=Libertas and its letters from Austria |work=[[The Sunday Business Post]] |date=2008-05-25 |accessdate=2008-10-27 }}</ref> and Chairman of [[Libertas (political movement)|Libertas]]<ref name="How One Man Plans to Sink the European Union">{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1891378,00.html |title=How One Man Plans to Sink the European Union |work=[[TIME]] |date=2009-04-15 }}</ref>, a [[lobby group]] which advocated a No vote to the [[Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|2008 referendum]] on the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]].
Libertas said they were funded by private donations. Donations above a certain amount had to be disclosed by the group after the referendum. According to the group, Ganley and his wife donated the maximum amount of €6,300 allowed under Irish law.<ref name="Letters from Austria"/>
On September 19, 2008, speaking on Today FM's (Independent National Radio) "The Last Word" presented by Matt Cooper, Mr. Ganley stated that he had loaned Libertas €200,000 and put in place a credit facility from which Libertas.<ref name="irish19">{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0919/1221773888299.html |title=Ganley said he gave a €200,000 loan to Libertas |publisher=Irish Times |date= 2008-09-19 |accessdate=2008-10-27}}</ref> Loans such as this to groups campaigning in elections and referendums in Ireland are permitted so long as they are commercial.<ref name="irish19"/>
Ganley argued that "millions of euro came into the Yes campaign from Brussels... to fund this elite agenda here in Ireland"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/latelate/av_20081003.html?2431974,null,228 |title=On the Late Late Show, 3 October 2008 |publisher=RTÉ |date=2008-10-03 |accessdate=2008-11-08}}</ref>.
On 3 October 2008, an editorial in ''The Irish Times'' suggested that suspicions and allegations about the issue of 'external' donations to Libertas during the Lisbon referendum were justified.
On March 14, 2009, the Irish Times reported that despite numerous requests since June 19, 2008, Libertas had failed to provide information on loans for its referendum campaign to the Standards in Public Office Commission after Libertas had informed the commission of a loan provided by its founder, Declan Ganley.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0314/1224242848259.html Libertas fails to co-operate with loans inquiry. Irish Times, 14 March 2009].</ref>
On March 30 Libertas supplied the SIPO with a series of financial documents about its funding<ref>http://www.independent.ie/national-news/libertas-refuses-to-go-public-on-party-funding-1692017.html</ref>, as it had always intended to<ref>http://www.libertas.eu/bg/news/news-ireland/69-libertas-response-to-the-sipo-report-of-march-13th</ref>.
According to ''[[The Sunday Business Post]]'', Ganley’s anti-Lisbon Treaty group supported a letter-writing campaign to Irish citizens by an Austrian political group, [[Rettet Österreich]] (Save Austria), involving some "far-right and neo-Nazi groups". However, Rettet Österreich has denied that it is an "extreme right wing group". John McGuirk of Libertas confirmed that they had agreed to the campaign.<ref name="Letters from Austria" />
==The Libertas Party and 2009 European Elections==
On 3 October 2008, on RTÉ's ''[[The Late Late Show]]'', Ganley confirmed what he had suggested on several occasions before - that Libertas may run candidates in the 2009 European Parliament elections (4-7 June 2009). According to RTÉ, he said that this would be conditional on the group procuring "the necessary resources and find[ing] candidates of the correct calibre".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1004/eulisbon.html |title=RTÉ News: Libertas may run candidates for Europe |publisher=Rte.ie |date= |accessdate=2008-10-27}}</ref>
The ''Irish Times'' recently reported that Ganley held a meeting in late September with former [[Progressive Democrats]] leader and former [[Taniste]] [[Michael McDowell]] at which Ganley reported on "the progress he was making in Europe." Prior to this McDowell has denied that he gave advice to Libertas during the run up to the Lisbon referendum.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1004/1222959350264.html] Miriam Lord, ''Irish Times'', 4 October 2008 </ref>
Ganley visited Brussels in September 2008 and held a meeting with sympathisers in the European Parliament. MEPs who attended and showed public support came from the [[Eurosceptic]] [[Political groups of the European Parliament|European Parliament group]] called [[Independence/Democracy|IND/DEM]], and included [[Marek Jurek]], of the Poland's [[Right of the Republic]] party who resigned from the Polish parliament two years ago when it failed to amend the Constitution in a vote that would have outlawed "abortion in the case of rape and when a mothers’ health is threatened"<ref>[http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=EUaffairs-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=73159-qqqx=1.aspeptemebr ''Irish Examiner'', 25 September 2008]</ref> Danish politician [[Jens-Peter Bonde]] is reported to be acting as Ganley's advance man in Brussels.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0920/1221835126848.html ''Irish Times'', 20 September 2008] </ref>
On 1 November 2008, ''The Irish Times'' reported that Ganley had registered two companies at Companies Office in Dublin.<ref name="IT1225321623322">[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/1101/1225321623322.html ''The Irish Times'', 1 November 2008]</ref> The two companies were the ''[[Libertas Party Limited|Libertas Party Ltd]]'' and ''Libertas Foundation Ltd''.<ref name="IT1225321623322"/> The memorandum of association of the former says its main object is to "carry on the business of a European political party".<ref name="IT1225321623322"/> The memorandum of association of the latter says its main object is "to act as a European Political Foundation for the Libertas Party".<ref name="IT1225321623322"/>
Libertas announced its intention to extend its party's representation to all 27 EU member states. The British Libertas party was launched on 10 March 2009 under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel [[Robin Matthews]]<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/0311/1224242661661.html Ganley launches British arm of Libertas. Irish Times, 11 March 2009].</ref> while the French campaign was announced by [[Philippe de Villiers]] on 11 March 2009.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/0312/1224242738998.html Right-wing parties rally under Libertas banner. Irish Times, 12 March 2009].</ref>
On 14 March 2009, Ganley announced he would stand as a candidate in the [[North-West (European Parliament constituency)|Irish North-West constituency]].<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article5908679.ece Ganley: I'll work to win voters' trust. Irish Times, 14 March 2009.]</ref>
On 21 March 2009, Ganley launched [[Libertas Malta]] with Mary Gauci as leader announcing she will be contesting the European Parliament elections on its behalf.<ref>[http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090321/local/new-political-group-to-be-launched New political group launched. Times of Malta, 21 March 2009.] Retieved 22 March 2009.</ref>
On 28 March 2009, Ganley launched [[Libertas Latvia]] with [[Guntars Krasts]], a former prime minister and currently an [[MEP]], heading a list of eight candidates covering all nine seats allocated to Latvia in the European Parliament elections.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/0330/1224243690761.html Former Latvian PM to stand for Libertas.] Irish Times, March 30, 2009. Retrieved 30 March 2009.</ref>
On 31 March 2009, Ganley announced that [[Eugenija Sutkiene]], a lawyer, would head the Lithuanian list. [[Lauras Bielinis]], a political analyst and advisor to the Lithuanian President, would also stand for Libertas. In addition, [[Arunas Valinkas]], chair of the [[Seimas|Lithuanian Parliament]] and head of the [[National Resurrection Party|Resurrection Party]] said his party would cooperate with Libertas.<ref>[http://www.libertas.eu/en/news/news-lithuania/182-libertas-announces-election-plans-for-lithuania Libertas announces election plans for Lithuania.] From Libertas.eu, March 31, 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2009.</ref>
Declan Ganley is the founder and current Chairman of the pan-European political party [[Libertas_Party|Libertas]] and candidate for [[Libertas_Party|Libertas]] in the [[European Parliament election, 2009]] in North West Ireland. [[Libertas_Party|Libertas]] started in 2006 as a lobby group campaigning for a No-vote to the [[Lisbon Treaty]] in the [[Irish Referendum 12 June 2008]], and has evolved into a pan-european political movement. [[Libertas_Party|Libertas]] are running for the [[European Parliament election, 2009]]. in 20 European countries. In [[Rome]] 1 May 2009 [[Libertas_Party|Libertas]] held its first [[Party Congress]].<ref>About Libertas, http://libertas.eu/en/about-us/origins</ref>
On 16 April 2009, Ganley launched the [[Libertas Netherlands|Libertas campaign in the Netherlands]], headed by political scientist [[Eline van den Broek]].<ref>[http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/04/libertas_picks_leader_for_dutc.php Libertas picks leader for Dutch campaign. Dutch News, April 16, 2009.] Retrieved 17 April 2009.</ref>
[[Libertas]] core values are [[democracy]], [[transparency]] and [[accountability]].<ref>http://libertas.eu/en/policies</ref>
===Ganley's political position===
In an in-depth interview in January 2009, Ganley explained that he was strongly pro-European and stood out for democracy, accountability and transparency. He stated that the reason he was opposed to the [[Lisbon Treaty]] was that it did not move Europe closer to its citizens but provided powers "to institutions in Brussels that the citizen can never hold accountable". Despite being labelled a [[Eurosceptic]], he said he believed in "a Europe that can stand up and have the ambition and courage to lead the world" and that Libertas would be saying: "European economic recovery and leadership is going to come from individuals, ... from the people. Only when they get engaged with the European project and make it their project and allow it to belong to all of us across Europe is this thing going to really succeed.<ref>[http://www.esharp.eu/Web-specials/It-s-called-democracy-you-know. "It's called democracy, you know?" Interview with Declan Ganley, E!Sharp, January 21, 2009]. Retrieved 18 March 2009.</ref>
===Libertas applicationCandidacy to the European Parliament for official status as a pan-European party===
On 14 March 2009 at a press interview Declan Ganley announced his candidacy to the European Parliament, for Libertas in the constituency of North West Ireland. <ref>http://Declan Ganley annouces EP candidagcy: www.rte.ie/news/2009/0314/libertas.html</ref> Until May 1 2009 Declan Ganley travelled all over Europe to campaign against the Lisbon Treaty, and help local Libertas branches. On May 1 2009 Libertas held their first Party Congress. Since May 1 2009 Declan Ganley has focused his campaign on North West Ireland. Canvassing, attending public speeches and debates and appearing on radio and TV. <ref>Declan Ganley's tweets: http://twitter.com/declanganley</ref>
On 27 November 2008, the ''Irish Times'' reported that Ganley had confirmed that Libertas had applied to the European Parliament for recognition as a political party at a European level which included a portion of funding from the €17 million pool it provides to promote the "European nature of the European elections". Ganley refused to name any of the elected representatives he said had agreed to support Libertas' application. European political parties can use the funds allocated to finance "campaigns conducted by the political parties at European level in the context of the European Parliament". The money cannot be used to fund national candidates or parties.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2008/1127/1227739034172.html "Libertas applies for European political party funds"], ''The Irish Times'', 2008-11-27</ref> Libertas said on application that they would not use any funds received until they had received a democratic mandate to do so.
==Quotes==
===Controversy over EU Registration of Libertas===
* We are not here to break Europe... we are here to improve it. <ref>[http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Declan_ganley]</ref>
On February 5, 2009, the ''Irish Times'' reported the decision of the European Parliament to rescind its earlier recognition of Libertas as a political party. Under EU regulations, Libertas required the signatures of seven members of national parliaments in order that it could to register and become eligible to receive EU funding of around EUR200,000. Of the seven signatories supplied by Libertas, two, [[Igor Grazin]] of [[Estonia]] and [[Mincho Kuminev]] of [[Bulgaria]], denied signing any documents in support of Libertas.<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0205/1233787117748.html ''Irish Times'', 2009-02-10, "Second nominated backer says he does not support Libertas"].</ref>
* We are not here to tell you to follow, we want YOU… the PEOPLE… to LEAD. <ref>[http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Declan_ganley]</ref>
In response to the allegations of registration fraud, Libertas released a statement claiming that it had documents of support signed by both Grazin and Kuminev, which it later published on its website<ref>http://www.flickr.com/photos/libertaseu/3252709261/</ref>, and that Libertas was "''mildly amused that the other Libertas signatories have not been persuaded to suffer from amnesia''".<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0205/1233787117748.html ''Irish Times'', 2009-02-10, "Second nominated backer says he does not support Libertas"].</ref>
* All things can be changed if we have the courage to speak up and defend truth and freedom. <ref>[http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Declan_ganley]</ref>
==Visit of President Klaus==
On Tuesday 11 November 2008, Ganley hosted a private dinner in honour of [[Václav Klaus]], the president of the [[Czech Republic]] who was on a state visit to Ireland.<ref name="IT081113">[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1113/1226408581963.html Ganley's dinner party was a meeting of minds], ''The Irish Times'', 13 November 2008</ref> Other guests included French MEP [[Philippe de Villiers]] of the [[Movement for France|"Mouvement Pour La France"]], Austrian MEP [[Hans-Peter Martin]], Denmark's [[Jens-Peter Bonde]], and Poland’s [[Dariusz Sobkow]].<ref name="IT081113" /> The AP press associatiion reported that Irish Foreign Minister [[Micheal Martin]] called some of Klaus's views "ridiculous, shallow and bogus". According to the ''Prague Daily Monitor'' a a STEM poll revealed that "three-fourths of Czechs believe that President Vaclav Klaus should not present his private views abroad regardless of the government's position, and a half of them say Klaus, with his opinions, harms the image of the Czech Republic"<ref>[http://praguemonitor.com/2008/11/18/poll-half-czechs-believe-klaus-harms-czech-republics-image Poll: Half of Czechs believe Klaus harms Czech Republic's image], ČTK, 18 November 2008</ref> President Klaus described the Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Martin as being a "hypocrite" while the junior Minister for European Affairs stated that Klaus' remarks on his state visit were "stomach churning" and "gratuitously insulting".<ref>[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/anger-at-klaus-insult-boils-over-1541456.html] ''Sunday Independent'', 16 November 2008</ref>
* Democracy is not supposed to be “efficient” as, by design, it requires challenge, debate and opposition. Dictators are “efficient” in their decision-making because there is no opposition. <ref>[http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Declan_ganley]</ref>
===Joint Oireachtas Committee===
Ganley appeared at a [[Joint Oireachtas Committee]] on Ireland's Future in the EU comprising members of both houses of the Irish parliament giving his views and being asked questions by Irish [[TD]]s and Senators.<ref name="PA081118">[http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gwXX71bP_JBFG2-PsQmlvmKDi-KA Press Association], 2008-11-18</ref><ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/1118/breaking6.html?via=mr ''Irish Times'', 18 November 2008]</ref> The committee is hearing presentations from those who opposed and supported the Lisbon treaty and people to air their views on Ireland's interaction with the European Union. The meeting was heated at points; PA reports that Ganley threw his copy of the Lisbon Treaty on the floor.<ref name="PA081118" /> At one point, the chairman threatened to halt the session in order to maintain order.<ref name="PA081118" /> Mr Ganley spoke strongly against the Lisbon Treaty warning politicians not to hold a second referendum to ratify the Lisbon Treaty.<ref name="ti-081119">[http://www.independent.ie/national-news/government-would-risk-collapse-in-lisbon-rerun-1544157.html Government 'would risk collapse' in Lisbon rerun], ''The Independent'', 19 November 2008</ref> He advocated throwing away the Lisbon Treaty and said that Europe needs a constitution of no more than 25 pages which needs to be upfront and honest in what it sets out to achieve<ref name="ti-081119" /> and that all of Europe must be given a vote on it.<ref>[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/politics/ganley-all-citizens-should-have-eu-constitution-vote-14067566.html Ganley: All citizens should have EU constitution vote], ''Belfast Telegraph'', 18 November 2008</ref>
==Legal threats to Irish politicians==
In the last week of November 2008, Ganley's solicitors issued threats of legal action to Irish politicians, including Joe Costello of the Labour Party. This follows comments by Costello regarding Libertas funding. According to the ''Irish Times'' "Mr Ganley has threatened to sue Mr Costello for substantial damages, following Mr Costello's charge that the Libertas founder has "a subversive foreign agenda"."<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1201/1227910421902.html "Ganley threatens to sue Labour TD over Libertas allegations"], ''The Irish Times'' 1 December 2008</ref>
==See also==
Line 107 ⟶ 65:
* [[Anglo Adriatic Investment Fund SA]]
* [[Adornis.com]]
* More quotes by Declan Ganley [[[http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Declan_ganley]]
==References==